Katie Maloney Dishes On Her Status With Schwartz

It's hard to believe, but Season 3 of Vanderpump Rules is almost over. The finale airs on March 2, and guys, it has been quite the season. From the return of Stassi Schroeder to the hi-jinx pulled by the ever increasingly scary Kristen Doute to Jax Taylor's plastic surgery and overall delusional look on life and of course, Scheana Marie's wedding/excuse to wear a white crop top gown, it has been a real ride for both the cast and the audience. But one of the castmembers who seemed to go through some real character development was Katie Maloney. "It was definitely a big growing time for me ... obviously with the drama surrounding my relationship with Tom," Katie tells me.

We have seen the 28-year-old SURver go from the brunette sidekick of Stassi in Season 1 to a blonde, still pretty loyal Stassi sidekick in Season 2 to star of her own relationship and friendship drama in Season 3. "With Stassi, it is unfortunate what happened between us as she is going in one direction and I'm going in another. I just wish she could have seen that. With Scheana we had always been kind of friends, but now I have found a real friend in her and we are happy."

Katie really came into her own in Season 3, even though she continuously had trouble with boyfriend Tom Schwartz. Jax accused her of cheating on Schwartz, and Schwartz copped to cheating on Katie in Vegas. But Katie doesn't hold a grudge against Jax. "He is one of those people who is going to be in my life whether I like it or not," she says. "Forgiving him is the best thing I could do for myself. It felt good to let the baggage go."

She also saw her friendship with Stassi come to a halt after she befriended Scheana. "As difficult as it was, though, I found out what my priorities are. I have the tendency to concern myself with others' happiness and then I fall short," Katie explains.

So then what about evil Kristen? Katie says she doesn't have any ill will toward her, but she doesn't go out of her way to hang out with her. That said, the two do run into each other at SUR, and apparently, Kristen and young James are still going strong.

And as for her relationship with Schwartz, Katie says she is still very much hoping that he will pop the question soon. "We're great. Me and Tom are still a work in progress but we're good. Since the summer, when we finished filming, Tom changed his attitude and has come a long way. The mutual respect is back and I have restored my trust in him. [His cheating] is not a pattern," she explains. Let's hope that sticks.

For what it's worth, Katie says she is a feminist, but doesn't really like that word. "I am all about equal rights for everyone in every walk of life, especially with the way women talk to one another. We are all guilty of being catty but the fellow camraderie of women working together I really support."

She adds she does not think Stassi will be returning for a fourth season, if there is one.